Efficacy of Some Essential Oils in Productivity and Management of Some Insect Pests Pre and Post-Harvest of Coriander A- Pre Harvest Study

• Published in: World journal of agricultural sciences : WJAS 2020-01, Vol.16 (5), p.375
• Main Authors: El-Gamal, Seham MA, Zein, Doaa M, Shalaby, Marwa M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Control methods; Coriandrum sativum; Cymbopogon nardus; Environmental effects; Essential oils; Food industry; Germination; Grasses; Harvesting; Herbivores; Insect control; Insecticide resistance; Insecticides; Insects; Integrated pest management; Linalool; Nontarget organisms; Oils & fats; Pest control; Pest resistance; Pests; Pharmaceutical industry; Pollution effects; Productivity; Seeds; Toxicity
• ISSN: 1817-3047; 1817-5082
• DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjas.2020.375.386

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) as a spice comes under minor aromatic annual condiment spice crop used in food and pharmaceutical industries. The main method for controlling insect pests is the use of synthetic insecticides, while developing insect resistance, environmental pollution, harmful effect on humans and non-target organisms and the demand for organic crops created a need for alternative approaches. Therefore, this investigation (during 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons) was planned to study the effect of Dill (Anethum graveolens) and Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus) essential oils as an alternative tool for insect pests management (aphid, whitefly and leaf miner) as well as improving the productivity of coriander. The results revealed that, plants treated with dill essential oil significantly increased in the number of umbels/ plant with 40.92 %, fruits yield (g/plant) with12.82 %, seed index (g/1000 seeds) with 23.58 %, germination percentage with 14.22 %, volatile oil percentage with 36.51% and Linalool percentage with 12.26%, respectively over control plants of coriander (average of the two seasons). Moreover, dill and citronella grass essential oils had an insecticidal effect on infestation at all recording times mortality percentage of the insect pests with the superiority of dill essential oil followed by citronella grass for reduction in insect pests numbers as compared to control. This field study has demonstrated that, dill and citronella grass essential oils have a good insecticidal activity against coriander pests and improve the coriander productivity (in terms of number of umbels, seed yield (g/plant), volatile oil yield (ml/plant), germination % volatile oil % and linalool%) of coriander without insects resistance, or toxicity to humans, or environment and non-target insects. This gives them the chance to be used in integrated pest management programs as an alternative one.